Father and Son Builds!
Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. My eldest son Bill (6 years old going on 38) decided he wanted to join in the fun again!
He has a growing of love of jets so our first joint-build was a Gnat - since he loved seeing The Reds at Biggin Hill when he was 3. Most kits end up on his ceiling - so there is picture here of his Airfix 1/72 Red Arrow in situ. Also a snap of Bill in front of another jet icon at Hendon before we moved to Aus - this may well be the moment that his fascination with jets was sparked!
Most of the photos attached, show our latest joint-build a Thunderjet F84-G - Hobby Boss 1/72. Bill does sprue-cutting, sanding, brush-painting, some airbrushing and the majority of the gluing (all under strict supervision)! He spent some time researching the Thunderjet before making his choice. Next up will be an Airfix English Electric Lightning provided on his birthday by his Uncle!
I'm not sure if this makes me a pushy parent (it has been a response to his wishes, I promise!) - I have to say I am not at all saddened by his choices!
Nicely done Paul,and the expert help you got from your son Bill is priceless. Keep up the good work.
I don't remember how old I was when I built my first model, but I'm quite sure it looked nothing like Bill's. Be sure to give him my compliments on a job well done, sir.
Excellent modelling young man. Good to see someone so young using his hands and learning how to read instructions. Very well done.
That's really nice work. Time well spent, great memories being made. I vividly remember the first three kits my dad built with me in 1969. Airfix Brewster Buffalo, Val, and Boomerang.
Nice!
Looking forward to some father/son builds here to in a year or two 🙂
Your build is looking great!
Well done! Glad some of the younger generations appreciates building models as adults. Too many think it's "child's play."
Definitely what our hobby needs, keep up the good work!
Nicely done Paul and Bill, we need more kids to carry on our tradition, keep it going.
Excellent! I got bitten by the bug at 6 also - had a friend who built them, and we flew them around his apartment while stationed at Bitburg AFB in Germany. I didn't really build my first solo build until 3rd grade though - that's when it got traction. My oldest son never got interested at all, and my 14-year-old built about a dozen airplanes when he was about 10 (no paint - he didn't have the patience), then switched to armor for about 9 months - then gave it up all together! Oh well...better luck hanging on to a build-buddy!
Only 6? OMG!
This has nothing to do with the wonderful build of a model by a 6 year old (it looks sooooo much better than that Strombecker P-80 I did at a similar age), but how the devil did Hobby Boss do such a horrid kit of this airplane in 1/72 and such a wonderful, superb kit in 1/32?
Bill and I thank you all for the kind comments. When I showed him, he was excited that other people liked our effort, and keen to start the next one. Who knows how long he will stick with it? Like many of us I am sure plenty of other interests will take him away from modelling - here's hoping he keeps coming back to it!